Shipwrecks have longed captured the imagination of the public. Shipwreck stories, historic and fictional, contain many of the themes that draw interest: man vs. nature, courage, survival, tragedy, hope, life, and death. Newfoundland and Labrador, with 500 years of nautical history, has its fair share of shipwrecks – perhaps more so, given the amount of historic sea traffic, the province’s position in the north Atlantic Ocean, and the foggy and stormy weather. Indeed, some estimates place the number of shipwrecks off the coast of Newfoundland in excess of 10,000!

I never win things. It’s not from a lack of trying, because believe me I try. In fact, I try harder than most. Here’s why: I love free stuff – doesn’t matter how big or how small, if it’s free, it’s fantastic. A couple of weeks ago, Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism held a giveaway during their annual Whale Week celebration – the prize was a massive whale-watching excursion for two, compliments of Air Canada and Maxxim Vacations.

St. John's is a city perched on the edge of nature, surrounded by scenic beauty, dramatic coastlines and wildlife. I decided to grab my picnic blanket and basket and perch myself at some of our top destinations. Join me as I explore our colourful capital city:

On Friday afternoon, July 11 just as the skies opened up we started driving from Corner Brook to Gros Morne National Park. The forecast was calling for good weather so we hoped the heavy rain was localized and sure enough as we headed north from Deer Lake it began to clear and by the time we reached Woody Point it was sunny again. We checked into the comfortable Victorian Manor Efficiency Units (http://www.grosmorne.com/victorianmanor/) and shortly thereafter our friends Martin and Molly Ware arrived. Our plan was to show them some short hiking trails that we had discovered the previous fall and have dinner at the Merchant Warehouse which just opened last year on the Woody Point waterfront.

It was one of those perfect summer days: the sun was shining, the birds chirping, and there wasn't a breath of wind. "We're going to Ferryland!" I exclaimed - my partner in crime and photographer was happy to oblige. Founded by Lord Baltimore in 1621, Ferryland is not only one of the most historic communities in Newfoundland, but in all of North America. Not a history buff? That's okay, Ferryland boasts some of the best coastal views in all of Newfoundland.

"There are a million reasons to visit St. John’s – we want YOU to help us narrow it down to the TOP 5!"

We asked our locals to be ambassadors to the rest of the world! What are the very best reasons to visit our colourful city? Is it our food? The fresh ocean air? The people? Here within, five notable choices:

June in St. John's means icebergs! A sparkling spring parade of 10,000 year-old towering icebergs unfolds every year in a beautiful clutter of pristine white and azure blue. Here within, we give you some notable locations to spot these majestic giants.

When you’re blessed with over 29,000 kilometres of coastline that twist and turn in every way imaginable, as well as rocks that protrude through the surface of the shore in the most precarious of positions – it makes sense that you may need some way of navigating vessels through what can sometimes be a labyrinth of stone.

A day spent on the water is a quintessential experience when travelling to Newfoundland & Labrador. Set sail from St. John's harbour and witness the world’s largest concentration of humpback whales, 12,000 year old icebergs and elegant seabirds feeding in our coastal waters. Iceberg Quest’s award winning tour has been departing from St. John’s and Twillingate showcasing Newfoundland’s unique charm for over a decade. I sat down down with Captain Barry Rogers for an unforgettable hour as he regaled me with tales of his childhood on the water, the beginnings of Iceberg Quest and a sneak peek of some of their new product offerings for 2014.

Having our very own timezone certainly puts us in unique position - we're the first to see the sunrise (& sunset!) in North America! Here within, some notable, off the beaten track locations to get the best view.

I had the absolute pleasure of spending the day with Maurice Fitzgerald of Far East Photography Tours. It was the day after a major snowstorm, there was a fresh dusting of snow, and the city looked beautiful. A Far East Photography Tour will allow you to see St. John's and surrounding areas through the lens of your camera! A tour will take you to the must see historic sites and landmarks in and around the capital.

On Saturday, September 28 we headed for Woody Point to continue our quest to hike the trails that exist in some of the communities in Gros Morne National Park. In previous blogs we have discussed the community trails in Norris Point and Rocky Harbour and for this weekend we set our sites on some communities on the south side of the park. And the weather couldn’t have been better- sunny and warm.

Gros Morne is an outdoor mecca for visitors with over 100km of trails, breathtaking vistas and world class experiences; however what adventures await when Mother Nature decides not to cooperate? Here are our choice picks for rainy day adventures throughout the park.